Life Beacon 360 (an early prototype)

A location tracking application with a mobile client and backend server.

Project Overview

Life Beacon 360 is a prototype location tracking system that consists of:

1. Mobile Client: Android app that tracks user location and sends it to a server
2. Server: Go backend that receives and stores location data

This project allows for real-time or interval-based location tracking with authorization.

Mobile Client

Setup Instructions

1. Install dependencies:

   cd mobile_client
   npm install

2. Build the app:

   npm run build

3. Add Android platform:

   npx cap add android

4. Copy the web assets to Android:

   npx cap sync android

5. Open in Android Studio:

   npx cap open android

6. Build and install the app on your device from Android Studio

Usage Instructions

1. Configure Settings:

   • Enter the Server Address (e.g., http://your-server:8080/api/locations)
   • Enter the Server Token (same as configured in your server's .env file)
   • Set the Location Interval (in seconds, 0 = immediate)
   • Enable "Send Location to Server" if you want to send data
   • Press "Save Settings"

2. Start Tracking:

   • Navigate to the Tracking page
   • Press "Start Tracking" to begin location tracking
   • The app will request location permissions
   • Position data will appear on screen
   • If sending is enabled, location will be sent at the specified interval
   • Press "Stop Tracking" to stop location updates

3. Background Operation:

   • The app will continue tracking location even when minimized or the screen is off
   • A notification will appear showing tracking is active

Server

Setup Instructions

1. Create a .env file in the server/config directory:

   cp server/config/.env.example server/config/.env

2. Edit the .env file with your database credentials and API token:

   POSTGRES_USER=your_db_user
   POSTGRES_PASSWORD=your_db_password
   POSTGRES_DB=life_beacon_db
   POSTGRES_HOST=localhost
   POSTGRES_PORT=6000
   
   API_TOKEN=your_api_token
   

3. Start the PostgreSQL database:

   cp docker-compose-example.yml docker-compose.yml
   # Edit docker-compose.yml to match your credentials
   docker-compose up -d

4. Build and run the server:

   cd server
   go build -o life-beacon-server ./cmd
   ./life-beacon-server

API Endpoints

Save Location

• URL: /api/locations
• Method: POST
• Auth Required: Yes (Token in Authorization header)
• Headers:
  • Content-Type: application/json
  • Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN
• Body:

  {
    "latitude": 37.7749,
    "longitude": -122.4194
  }

• Success Response:
  • Code: 201
  • Content: { "message": "Location saved successfully" }

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Location Not Updating:

   • Ensure location permissions are granted
   • Check that GPS is enabled on your device
   • On Android 10+, make sure background location permission is granted

2. Failed to Send Location:

   • Verify server address is correct and includes the full path
   • Confirm the API token matches between client and server
   • Check that the server is running and accessible
   • Ensure your device has internet connectivity

3. Database Connection Issues:

   • Verify PostgreSQL is running (docker ps)
   • Check the database credentials in .env
   • Ensure the port is accessible

Debugging

• Mobile client logs can be viewed in Android Studio's Logcat
• Server logs appear in the terminal where the server is running

Security Notes

This is a prototype and has basic security features:

• Token-based API authentication
• Data sent over HTTPS is recommended for production

For a production environment, consider adding:

• User authentication
• Data encryption
• More robust error handling
• Rate limiting
• TLS/HTTPS

License

This project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPL-3.0) - see the LICENSE file for details.

The AGPL-3.0 requires that if you modify this software and provide it as a service over a network (e.g., a web application), you must make your modified source code available to the users of that service.